"What is this 'faith' that preachers talk so much about? I can't get at. it." And yet those who express themselves in this way exercise faith every day of their lives. Why, friends, to use an illustration: the world would be at a standstill if men had no faith in their fellows. The merchant would not transact business if he had no faith in his customers; the workman would not strike a blow did he not believe that his wages would be given him.
Take away faith, and what a change would ensue in all departments of life! No longer would the great ships convey their immense cargoes of valuable merchandise from shore to shore, and the busy hum and clatter of our great factories would give place to a death-like stillness. But the merchant can trust his customers: he sends goods worth many thousands of dollars to the order of a person whom -he has never seen, if his credit is reported to be good. He believes, and he acts.
So with the busy masses of our population: they believe, and they toil on from early morning till evening closes around them. Payday and its hard-earned wages give nerve to the arm and purpose to the mind.
Faith is, therefore, that principle of confidence that we see manifested among men in all the affairs of life. The word, the promise, the agreement of man is believed as a matter of course. Men can trust their property and reputation with their fellows, and yet many have no faith in the Word of God—"who cannot lie"—whose statements, whether threats or promises, are made in the most definite manner. Why should men talk as if God spoke to us in such a mysterious way that we could only hope to make a good guess as to what He means?
Reader, faith is the same in principle whether as to trusting man's word or God's Word, and His message to all men is, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31).
Jesus says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).